A major food emergency is affecting the
Horn of Africa, in particular Ethiopia and Eritrea, following sporadic
and well below average rains during 2002. Overall, between 12 and 16 million
people in the Horn of Africa are expected to be in immediate risk during
2003. Some 2-2.5 Million Metric Tons of food assistance from the international
community will be needed to prevent a humanitarian disaster.

Despite occasional difficulties and delays,
the peace process between Ethiopia and Eritrea has progressed steadily,United
Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan says in a new report,
voicing his hope that the parties will continue their cooperation with
the UN mission during the next crucial phase of delineating the border
between the two countries.

Ninety-eight Ethiopian civilians have been
repatriated from Eritrea to Ethiopia last week under the auspices of the
International committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). According to the ICRC,
they crossed the border between the towns of Rama (Ethiopia) and Adi Quala
(Eritrea). On the same day, in a different ICRC operation, three Eritrean
civilians coming from Ethiopia arrived by air in Asmara where they were
reunited with their families.

On the 20th of December, a delegation
from the US House Committee on International Relations (USA HIRC) paid
a visit to Sector West Headquarters in Barentu where they were briefed
about the Jordanian Battalion (JORBAT 4) mission in Area of Responsibility.

Minister for Development Cooperation Agnes
van Ardenne is allocating an extra €5 million to relieve the famine in
Africa. The money will go to start the appeal for southern Africa and the
Horn of Africa launched by the joint Dutch aid agencies on 13 December.

"Hunger threatens the lives of millions
of people, most of them women and children. We are facing a disaster of
such proportions that we have to do everything we possibly can to turn
the tide," Van Ardenne announced.

Whenever a disaster of this kind occurs,
the Dutch aid agencies join forces to raise funds.

I am delighted to have the opportunity
today to address the Foreign Affairs Committee on the subject of the food
crises in the Horn of Africa and in southern Africa.

As we look forward to Christmas the figures
concerning famine emanating from Africa are stark. They serve as a damning
indictment of our collective failure to address the needs of the most vulnerable
at the beginning of a new millennium.

It is estimated that at least 28 million
people will be affected by the current food shortages in the Horn of Africa
and southern Africa.

PR 02/129
Rome, 17 December 2002 - Some
40 million people in sub-Saharan Africa are threatened by severe food shortages
and a major humanitarian crisis is deepening in southern Africa, the UN
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said today.